Can’t Wait Wednesday – PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION by Tirzah Price

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION by Tirzah Price.  This one caught my eye both because it’s a Pride and Prejudice retelling and because its cover is so stunning.  I also read on the author’s website that this is the first of three of Jane Austen’s novels receiving a murder mystery makeover, which just made me all the more excited.

 

PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION by Tirzah Price

Publication Date:  March 9, 2021 by Harper Teen

 

From Goodreads:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young woman who desires a law career must be in want of a case. So when seventeen-year-old Lizzie Bennet hears about a scandalous society murder, she sees an opportunity to prove herself as a solicitor by solving the case and ensuring justice is served.

Except the man accused of the crime already has a lawyer on his side: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious Pemberley Associates law firm. Lizzie is determined to solve the murder before Darcy can so that she can show the world that a woman can be just as good as a man. (The fact that Darcy is an infuriating snob doesn’t help.) But there’s still a killer on the loose, and as the case gets more complicated, Lizzie and Darcy may have to start working together to avoid becoming the next victims themselves. ple who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Book Titles That Would Make Great Song Titles

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Book Titles That Would Make Great Song Titles.  I love music almost as much as I love books so topics like this are always a lot of fun for me.  I mostly listen to pop and rock music so it’s safe to say that when I’m imagining my choices below as songs, I’m imagining them as being sung by someone like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, or maybe P!nk.

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Book Titles That Would Make Great Song Titles

(in no particular order)

 

CHASING LUCKY

THE ANATOMICAL SHAPE OF A HEART

YES NO MAYBE SO

THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW

P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU

ONE OF US IS LYING

FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN

ONE DAY IN DECEMBER

MONDAY’S NOT COMING

AUTOBOYOGRAPHY

 

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Could you see any of these titles as song titles?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid.  Taylor Jenkins Reid became an auto-buy author for me after I fell in love with Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.  I added this new book to my TBR without even reading the synopsis, but I’m even more excited about it now that I have.  It sounds like the perfect read for the summer of 2021.

 

MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publication Date:  May 25, 2021 by Ballantine Books

From Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six . . . Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.

Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over–especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud–because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own–including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Non-Bookish Interests I Have

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is actually not about books at all.  It’s more of a get to know the blogger post in that we’re sharing non-bookish interests that we have.  I don’t know that there are any big surprises here for anyone who has followed my blog for a while, but it’s a pretty accurate picture of what fills my time when I’m not reading, blogging or working.

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10 Non-Bookish Interests I Have

 

  • Theater.  I have such a passion for the theater, Broadway musicals in particular, so it has killed me this year to not be able to catch any shows because of COVID.  Favorite shows and plays I’ve seen:  Hamilton, Wicked, Springsteen on Broadway, Les Miserables, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Lion King.
  • Disney.  And I mean all things Disney – the films, the characters, the theme parks, collecting stuffed animals, mugs, and enamel pins, just to name a few.  I also have a major soft spot for Eeyore that goes back to when I was a small child.
  • Travel.  This is a relatively new (i.e. in the last 10 years) passion for me.  I used to never go anywhere, but once I caught the travel bug, I now want to go EVERYWHERE.  This is another passion that has taken a hit because of the pandemic.
  • Hiking/Walking.  I used to do this a lot more often before I had a kid, but now that he’s older, I’d like to get back to it.  There’s nothing like a hike on a scenic trail.  So peaceful and such great exercise.
  • Politics.  I will freely admit that I’m completely burned out on this topic right now, but in normal times, when it doesn’t feel like the soul of our nation is on the line, I tend to be quite the political junkie.  2016-2020 may have killed this interest for the rest of my life, but we’ll see, lol.
  • Puzzles.  I put a jigsaw puzzle in my graphic but honestly I love all puzzles.  Jigsaw, crossword, logic puzzles, Sudoku, Rubik’s Cubes, etc.
  • Video Games.  And honestly, this should really just say video game, singular, because it’s Mario Kart Tour on my iPhone that I’ve been completely obsessed with the past few months.  It takes me back to the games I played when I was a kid and I’m really loving the sense of nostalgia right now.
  • Baking.  I can’t really say that I like to cook much overall, but man, I do love to bake a good dessert.  I’m all about the cookies, pies, and cakes. 🙂
  • Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus & Chill.  I’ve found myself less and less willing to turn on the TV in recent months. There’s nothing but bad news and political ads everywhere I turn, so I’ve been regularly turning to my entertainment apps and watching anything and everything that will let me escape reality for a few hours.  The past weekend I fell down a Schitts Creek rabbit hole and devoured 4 seasons of the show.  If you haven’t seen it, it is hilarious!
  • Animals.  Whether it’s watching cute animal vids that put a smile on my face or watching my own furry family members engage in their silly antics, most animals are a constant source of joy for me.  Dogs, cats, and all sorts of domesticated animals of course, but then I also love giraffes, elephants, bears, and all of the big cats.  I will pass on the insects and reptiles though.

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Well, that’s it for me.  Do we share any non-bookish interests?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas.  I’m a huge fan of both The Hate U Give and On the Come Up so I’m really excited to read something new from Angie Thomas.  I also love that this is a prequel to THUG and that it gives us some background on Maverick Carter, Starr’s dad. I loved his character so much in THUG so I can’t wait to learn more about him.

 

CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas

Publication Date:  January 12, 2021 by Balzer & Bray

 

From Goodreads:

International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can’t just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Vampire Books You’ll Want to Sink Your Fangs Into

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is a Halloween Freebie. Last year I shared some of my favorite witchy read, so this year I thought it would be fun to share some vampire reads, some I’ve really enjoyed over the years and others I’ve heard great things about and hope to read in the future.

 

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10 Vampire Books You’ll Want to Sink Your Fangs Into

 

 

 

  • MIDNIGHT SUN by Stephanie Meyer (I have to admit I had a love/hate relationship with the original Twilight series, but I still really want to see the story through Edward’s eyes as Meyer’s latest book promises.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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QUESTION:  HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – A PHO LOVE STORY by Loan Le

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is A PHO LOVE STORY by Loan Le.  With the restaurant rivalry, this story just sounds like it has the potential to be hilarious.

 

A PHO LOVE STORY by Loan Le

Publication Date:  February 9, 2021 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

 

From Goodreads:

When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants.

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Who Influences Me? 10 Books I Read Because of Blogger Recommendations

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books I Read Because Someone Recommended Them to Me (tell us who recommended them, if you want!).  I think posts like this are a lot of fun.  I love to look back through the books I’ve read and see which great reads I probably wouldn’t have read at all if not for the recommendations of bloggers.  I also love posts like this because it shows that any of us can be influencers, regardless of whether we are small bloggers, big bloggers, or somewhere in between bloggers.  When the right review makes it to the right reader, magic happens. 🙂  I’m also quite sure I could have easily done a Top 50 list here too because all of you have influenced my reading since I started blogging.  The 10 I picked today are just the first 10 that popped into my head.

 

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10 Books I Read Because a Blogger Recommended Them to Me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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QUESTION:  HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry.  I know this one is still pretty far out there in terms of its release date, but I just adored Beach Read so much that I can’t wait to get my hands on Henry’s next book.  I can’t wait to meet Alex and Poppy and see what happens on that trip two years ago that drove them apart even though they were BFFs.

 

PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry

Publication Date:  May 11, 2021 by Berkley

From Netgalley:

With one week to win back the best friend she might just be in love with, a travel writer plans the trip of a lifetime in this sparkling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read.
 
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Super Long Book Titles That Are Sure to Grab Your Attention

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Super Long Book Titles.  I remember doing a Top Ten Tuesday a few months ago where we shared some of our favorite one-word titles, so I think it’s fun to revisit book titles again this week but this time sharing the opposite — some of our favorite super long titles.  Now I’m sure there are many titles out there that are much longer than the ones I’ve selected, but these are some of my favorites and mainly so just because I find them so intriguing. Most of them are quite quirky, which immediately makes me wonder what the book is about and why such a long title was chosen.

 

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Top Ten Tuesday: Super Long Book Titles

That Are Sure to Grab Your Attention

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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QUESTION:  WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SUPER LONG BOOK TITLES?  HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE?